4 convicted for sex trafficking ring preying on illegal immigrants

Photo of former location of Las Palmas II in the 5600 block of Telephone Rd., Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in Houston.

Photo of former location of Las Palmas II in the 5600 block of Telephone Rd., Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in Houston.

Photo: Cody Duty, Houston Chronicle

Photo: Cody Duty, Houston Chronicle

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Photo of former location of Las Palmas II in the 5600 block of Telephone Rd., Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in Houston.

Photo of former location of Las Palmas II in the 5600 block of Telephone Rd., Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, in Houston.

Photo: Cody Duty, Houston Chronicle

4 convicted for sex trafficking ring preying on illegal immigrants

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Pressure is steadily building on a woman accused of leading a major Houston sex trafficking ring -- that for a dozen years preyed on women who were here illegally -- after her three children and sister admitted Friday to their roles in running a brothel out of a cantina.

Reputed ring leader Hortencia Medeles-Arguello faces a federal trial February in the case that likely involves dozens of women forced against their will into prostitution, and many hundreds of men who paid to have sex with them.

"Our whole goal in prosecuting this organization is to dismantle it from the leader all the way down to the book keeper, " said Ruben Perez, an assistant U.S. attorney who is handling the case. "Until she was arrested, she was operating with impunity for many years."

Women were raped, beaten and threatened with having their families back in Mexico and Central America harmed if they tried to escape or contacted authorities.

A three-year federal investigation and the resulting aftermath exposed an underworld prostitution scene in Houston which catered to men living illegally in the United States by offering up women, mainly from Mexico.

Medeles's two daughters admitted to their roles in helping her count stacks of cash. Her son admitted to helping harbor undocumented immigrants as worked behind the bar, and her sister cleaned sex rooms as well as provided patrons with condoms.

The four guilty pleas Friday came on the heels of nine others who have also pleaded guilty in the case. It is not yet clear how many of those who have pleaded would take the witness stand against Medeles.